


The Road Back to Vegas

by storyhaus



Category: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-08
Updated: 2018-02-08
Packaged: 2019-03-15 12:38:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13613541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/storyhaus/pseuds/storyhaus
Summary: Nick quits, will Russell change his mind?





	The Road Back to Vegas

The Road Back To Vegas

AU to last episode of season 12

"I have your assignments." Conrad Ecklie, the under sheriff of the Las Vegas Crime Lab announced entering the break room.  
"Where's Russell?" Sara Sidle, longtime graveshift investigator, asked him.  
"At a conference. Morgan,Sara, 415 Four Aces motel. Sanders, Finn, 402, Halloway Court Mobile Home Park." He said handing the assignments out and departing.  
Finn looked at Greg who shrugged and sighed.  
It had been a month since Nick stated he 'was out of here' ,quiting, and Greg didn't know if he was coming back, the older CSI had months accumulated vacation time and Greg hoped he was just using it to destress.  
I've been through a few bad things but Nick seemed to get it all the time.  
Greg never realized that it was Nick who was the glue that held them all together.  
When Grissom left he was worried the team might crumble but they didn't.  
Then Catherine left and he thought that was it for them.  
But now that Nick was gone he definitely felt the separation of the team.  
With another sigh he followed Finn out.

Russell stopped his car and looked across the long expanse of driveway to the white two story house.  
With a deep sigh he pushed the buzzer at the gated entrance.  
"Stokes residence." An accented female voice replied.  
"My name is D.B. Russell, I'd like to speak with Nick please."  
"One moment."  
Russell waited patiently for several moments before the black wrought iron gates with the scripted S opened to allow him admittance.  
He followed the path to the house where two vehicles sat, one was an SUV with Nevada plates which made him hopeful.  
Exiting the rental car he carried a manilla envelope to the front door and raised his hand to knock when the door swung open.  
"Mister Russell, I'm Jillian Stokes, Nick's mother, please come in."  
"Thank you Mrs. Stokes." Russell nodded, he hadn't been sure of his welcome.  
"Nick is out with his brother." She informed him closing the door.  
"I came all this way to speak with him in person." He said disappointedly.  
"I worry about him more than any of my other children. I suppose it's natural after what happened to him seven years ago." She nodded to herself.  
"I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with Nick's history. I've been trying to play catch up over the last year." He apologized.  
"My son was buried alive Mister Russell. He very nearly died." She answered bluntly.  
Russell didn't know what to say so he remained silent.  
"But he is a grown man, much as I have difficulty with that concept, who can and will make his own decisions. If he decides to return to Las Vegas and resume his career as a CSI that will be his choice, not mine, not his father's...and not yours Mister Russell." The shorter woman looked at him expectantly.  
I see a lot of NIck in you,he silently mused.  
"I understand. Would you see that he gets this please?" He handed over the envelope.  
"I'll give it to him. Whether he chooses to open it or not is up to him." She replied accepting the package.  
"Thank you for allowing me into your home Mrs. Stokes." Russell bade and left.

Nick watched Russell go and sighed, he never expected the man to track him down at home here in Texas.  
"He left this for you honey." Jillian said placing the envelope on the coffee table and rubbing his arm before leaving him alone.  
Nick stared at the package for a long time when he heard his father's voice in his head,  
It won't open itself Pancho.  
He unsealed it and found dozens of business sized envelopes contained within.  
He slid them onto the coffee table and picked the closest one up curiously.  
The only thing scrawled across the front was his name.  
Reaching into the drawer of the nearby table he removed the ever present letter opener and slit the envelope open, pulling the sheet of paper out he began to read the contents.  
Dear Mister Stokes,  
I'm not sure if you remember me, my name is Cassie McBride...you saved my life.  
I am attending WLVU in the fall with the intent to study criminal justice.  
I want to help people like you helped me.  
Nick swallowed his tears and finished reading the letter from Cassie.  
He placed it on the table and picked up another one...it was from Mrs. Beck, who's daughter had had gone missing eight years prior, a case they finally solved three years ago when they found her daughter Rachel's body allowing her to finally lay her daughter to rest. Nick had personally gone and told her they found Rachel's body as he had been the lead on the case initially.  
There was one from Gracie Layman, the girl who hid in her toy chest after he parents were murdered by another victim of Doctor Jekyll and Nick and Ray found her.  
Frank Carrow, Haley Jones biological grandfather had thanked him for finding out what happened to his daughter and granddaughter.

Jillian looked in an hour later and saw Nick crying and she rushed over and hugged him.  
"I didn't know I made a difference mom."   
"Every person you help you make a difference to. Your empathy means everything to the family of a victim." She brushed his tears away with her thumbs.  
"They just want to know somebody gives a damn." He whispered recalling his words to Warrick so many years ago.  
"Honey?"   
"When I left I felt like nothing ever changed." He told her wiping his eyes.  
"But for these people it did." She motioned to the letters, "You cared and that matters. They weren't just case numbers, they were people to you and that meant everything to them."  
"Warrick's killer is still getting away with things mom. Even behind bars." He looked to her with such desolation.  
"And justice will catch up with him. It may not be in this lifetime is all." She smiled tenderly at her youngest child.   
Nick shook his head and sighed looking at the letters.  
"I guess you have a few things to think about and a decision to make." She replied standing and dropping a kiss on his head before leaving the room.

The graveyard shift was on site of a multi-car accident at 6:15 a.m.  
None of them noticed the dark blue Denali park on the side of the road by several police cars.  
The driver exited and pulled a metallic case from the back and headed toward Russell and the graveshift team who were facing their supervisor.  
Russell gave the barest nod of acknowledgement to the newcomer.  
"Finn, Morgan, you're with me. Let's start at the back and work our way forward."  
"Greg and I get front to back then." Sara nodded reaching for her case.  
"You, Greg...and Nick." Russell smiled at him.  
"You're the boss." Nick answered.  
Sara and Greg hugged him joyfully.  
Finn and Morgan looked on happy and relieved to have him back.  
"Ya'll know this scene ain't going to process itself." Nick teased with a relaxed smile, one they hadn't seen in a long while.  
"Let's move." Russell ordered and they split up to get to work.  
"You knew he was coming back." Finn smirked.  
"He called me a few days ago." He nodded.  
"How'd you get him back?" She wanted to know.  
"Just showed him how much he's needed here." Russell answered and got down to work. 

the end


End file.
